That Perfect Son
by wyverna
Summary: Freddy always hated his father, and thought he would be happy to get a new one. When he does he will do anything to be that perfect son, but is it enough?
1. The Starting Line

_That Perfect Son._

By Wyverna Aiken.

Once upon a time... Well, maybe not. A little while ago, there was a boy. A boy called Frederick David Jones, but known to his friends as Freddy. He was always the punk-ass bad-boy of the band, the urban rebel, the cool skater. The one all the guys secretly wanna be (except maybe for Zack) and all the girls wanna date (except maybe for Summer). One time, Freddy had just been called into the Principal's office ('I put the "pal" in "Principal"!'), and he wanted to get him back...

"Yo, Zack!" Freddy struggled to catch up with the other boy, as he'd run all the way. "_Zack!_" Zackary Joseph Mooneyham, aka Zack, heard Freddy this time, and turned around to wait for his friend. Freddy staggered the last few metres, and collapsed onto Zack.

"Wow, Freddy," said Zack through a mouthful of his friend's t-shirt. "I never knew you cared." Freddy pushed Zack away with an effort, not noticing Zack's calm smile.

"Dude, no way!" he spluttered. "If you're looking for that kind of relationship then go to Billy, I'm sure he'd be only too happy to oblige." Now it was Zack's turn to look outraged.

"_Freddy!_ I've told you not to say stuff like that about him, it's not nice!"

Freddy rolled his eyes. "Nice? _Nice?_ How many times do I have to tell you, Zack, nice is one thing I am not!"

"Whatever. Why did you want to talk to me, anyway?"

"Well..." began Freddy, with a grin.

"No."

"What? I haven't even told you yet!"

"I know that grin. That's your evil grin."

"I don't _have_ an evil grin!"

"Hate to break it to you bro, but _yah_ that's what it is."

"Number one; that's my line. Number two; I do not!"

"Fine," said Zack, knowing better than to argue with Freddy when he was in this mood, "what bites?"

"Ackney, what else?"

"Why, what'd he do this time?"

"He reckons mom 'n' dad need to talk to me about something. I know not what. I _think_..."

"Yeah?"

"I think he's just being a pompous idiot again, and he needs to nose out of my home life," said Freddy, red in the face. Zack glanced at him.

"Dude – what gives?"

"He... _aargh!_ He just makes me so damn mad!"

Zack looked at his friend with concern. "Freddy – what is _up_ with you? I've never seen you like this before."

Freddy just shook his head. "Mom... Mom said she needed to talk to me about something... I thought it was about my sixteenth, you know, coming up soon? But now... now I have no idea."

"Cheer up, it'll be nothing," said Zack, slinging a comforting arm over his friend's shoulder. Freddy turned and stared at him.

"I told you before, Zack, go to Billy. I just can't satisfy your needs..." It took Zack a while to realise what he meant, and by the time he'd worked it out, Freddy was out the door. He turned back, laughing. Zack growled.

"Freddy Jones, get your sorry self back here!" He chased after him, and the two teenagers were soon involved in a complex game of Zack-trying-to-wrestle-Freddy-while-Freddy-ran-away.

* * *

"Mom?" called Freddy, from his room. "Mom, you home yet?" _Stupid question, Jones,_ he thought to himself. _If she's **not** home, then she can't exactly say, can she?_

"Freddy? Freddy, sweetie?"

He jumped up, and ran downstairs. "Mom! Hey!" He wrapped his arms around her in a BIG hug. Contrary to all belief, Freddy Jones was one big mommy's boy.

"Hey, baby," she said, messing up his hair. He smiled up at her – she was the _only_ person he'd let do that... Well, except maybe Janey, his girlfriend. Janey was special. She had coffee brown skin, black shoulder length hair, and black eyes. He loved her, and she loved him.

"You know that thing you had to tell me? Well, now _Ackney_ knows!"

"Who's Ackney?" she asked, looking down at him, her chocolate brown eyes filled with worry.

"You know – the principal? John Ackney?"

"Ah, yes! Such a lovely man." Freddy snorted, and his mom gave him a disapproving look. "Don't do that, dear, it's not polite."

"Whatever, mom. He only likes you because you went to the parent-teacher meeting in a miniskirt and stilettos."

His mom laughed at the memory. "Oh, yeah! Your dad wasn't too happy about that, but when he found out it meant you passed Math he wasn't as bothered," she said, giving him a conspiratorial smile. He smiled back. "Anyway, what were you saying about him, sweetie?"

Freddy didn't answer at first, he was too busy remembering the sight of his principal drooling over his mom. With her natural blonde hair and great figure, she could've been a model.

"Freddy? Hello, earth to space cadet?" He blinked, and shook his head.

"Sorry, mom, what did you say?"

"I asked why you started talking about Mr Ackman, baby."

"Oh, yeah! Well, he seemed to think you had some secret or other to tell me! I mean," he gave a little laugh, "as if you'd tell some principal before me!" He looked up at his mom, who was looking a little worried. "Mom. Oh man, you didn't? You did! I can't believe this, I can _not_ believe this."

"I only rang up to see if they'd give free councelling! But that Ackman is a very persuasive man, especially when he wants you to tell him something..." She trailed off, probably something to do with the death glares Freddy was giving her.

"So?"

"So what, honey?"

"Don't you 'honey' me, mom! Not now!"

"Sorry, hon- Freddy."

"Now, what's this secret?"

His mom bit her lip nervously, causing a thin trickle of bright red blood the exact same color as her lipstick to slide down her lips. She blotted it with a tissue.

"Do you, ah, maybe wanna sit down for this?" Freddy remained standing. "No? Ok then, but I hope you don't mind if I do." She sat down, crossing her legs. "Ok, now, you're nearly sixteen, and I wasn't going to tell you this until you _were_ sixteen, but I don't suppose it matters..." She took a deep breath, and then the door slammed a couple of times.

"Honey, I'm home!" Freddy's dad bellowed.

_Mwahahahaaa! I, too, can create cliffhangers! Indeed I can! So, if you really wanna find out what Freddy's mom's secret is, then REVIEW!_

Disclaimer: Well, according to the men in the white coats, I _don't_ own Joey Gaydos... or Kevin Clark... C'mon, not even a little bit?


	2. Secrets Revealed

Freddy's eyes opened wide as he heard his dad come in. He looked up at his mom for help, and reassurance, but she had her eyes fixed on the door. His dad came banging through a moment later, and his mom's shiny red lips stretched into a fake smile. He was _extremely_ tempted to run up to his room and slam the door, but no. He must be strong.

"Great(!) I'm home at six o'clock and there's no sign of food!"

"But, darling, I've been working all day -"

"That's no excuse, Katherine, and you know it! _I_ work all day to put food on this table, and there isn't any!"

"Hey!" interjected Freddy. "Mom works too, and you know that!" His mom sent him a pleading look to stay out of this, but it was too late. Once again, it was an argument between just Freddy and his dad.

"Oh, does your precious mommy work too?" sneered his dad. "I know full well Katherine works! But does she get paid? No! No, she goes around doing all this goody goody volunteer work, and then _I_ have to work twice as hard just to feed you!"

"Oh, don't tell me! I'm lucky to have a roof over my head, I'm lucky to be able to eat every night, I'm lucky to go to the most _pre_stigious _prep_ school in the _count_ry!" spat Freddy. "Well, here's news for you, I don't care!"

"Oh, so you'd rather be out on the streets, would you?"

"Yeah! It'd be better than living here with you!"

Freddy's mom gasped, and covered her eyes. Freddy had just gone too far this time. His dad pulled himself up to his full height, and Freddy couldn't help thinking what a monster he looked, like some crazy guy. His face was a mottled red, almost purple in places, and his words were flecked with spittle. If Freddy hadn't been so tough, he would have been... _scared._

"Right then! Frederick David Jones, get your stuff and get out of here _right now_!"

"No!" Freddy's mom said, standing up and planting herself in between her son and her husband. Both Freddy and his dad stared at her in disbelief.

"_What_ did you just say?!" shouted Freddy's dad, recovering quickly.

"No," repeated Freddy's mom, firmly and quietly. "You can do a lot of things, Eddie, and I'll just stand by and watch, but kicking our son out of his own home when he is not even sixteen is not one of them! Now here's some money, go to the pub and _calm down_! Don't come back until you're in control of yourself!" As Freddy's dad left the house, Freddy's mom led her son gently over to the table, and sat him down. Pulling out a chair opposite him, she sat down and said, "Now, Freddy. Where were we?"

"Well, let me see... oh yes! You were just about to tell me this big important secret," Freddy replied sarcastically.

Freddy's mom looked at him sadly, and he immediately regretted those words. However, there was no way to draw them back, so he shut up and listened.

"Ok. Ok," said his mom, taking deep breaths. "You know your dad?"

"Yes?" replied Freddy cautiously. "What about him?"

"He's not," she said simply.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His mom sighed, and put her hand over his. "He's not your dad," she said quietly. "He doesn't know it either. I just thought you deserved to know." Freddy sat in silence, trying to work out if this was good or bad. I mean, sure his dad was mean, and they argued a lot, but he probably loved him deep down... somewhere... And at least his dad had never _hit_ him...

"Freddy, honey? Are you ok?" his mom asked, unsure whether or not he'd be angry with her.

He looked up at her, his large brown eyes filling with tears. "I don't know," he said.

His mom stood up, and held out her arms. He came towards her, and she rocked him gently in a hug. He began to cry into her shoulder, and she stroked his back.

"Oh, my baby," she said quietly. "What have I done to you?"

* * *

Freddy sat on his old wooden swing, his head in his hands. His dad had made him this – this swing. No, wait – he hadn't. Some random stranger that lived with him had made this. He sighed deeply. A few hours earlier if someone had asked him what he'd be like if he discovered his dad wasn't really his dad, he'd have said delighted.

With things like this you never really know until it happens.

He looked at his watch, and realised he was late for band practice – it'd started twenty five minutes ago. He leapt off the swing, and hurried off to Dewey's, ignoring his mom's sad gaze.

* * *

All the band members gathered around him.

"Freddy, have... have you been crying?" asked Katie worriedly. He look around, at the circle of friends surrounding him.

Marco – Lawrence – Zack. These were the ones he was closest to. Marco, the little red-headed kid. He was cool, and really into cars. At the minute he was longing for an Aston Martin DB9. Last month it had been an Audi TT, even though Freddy had repeatedly told him that they were horrible cars, and looked like they'd had a big chunk taken out of them. Lawrence was still... Lawrence. He couldn't really change. Zack was louder, and more fun. He was Freddy's _best_ friend. The one he told his secrets to.

Katie and Summer were cool, and all, but they were, when you got right down to it, _girls._ Not that he had anything against girls as such, he was sure some of them might make fine friends, just none of the ones he knew did.

Marta was a self-centred show off, Tomika was always stuffing her face, Alicia drank all the time and swore heavily, Michelle and Eleni were just that – Michelle _and_ Eleni. They never went anywhere without the other, and sometimes even spoke for each other. Cute at first, but it got annoying after a while. Katie was sometimes ok, but she had two personalities. One minute she'd be all cool, and like, yeah man! The next she'd be wandering off somewhere, linking arms with Michelle and Eleni and giggling over some picture in some magazine. Summer was Summer. She saw herself as above everyone. They'd tried to include her as a part of the band, but the truth was _she_ didn't see herself as a part of the band. They now saw her as an adult, or a teacher.

Janey and her group of friends weren't much better. Janey was cool when she was around him. She didn't know much about rock, but it was still ok as it didn't really come up much in conversation. She was quite popular, but she wasn't _a_ Popular, with a capital 'P'. He would never dream of hanging round with her, though. She came up to him and said hi, and they sometimes ate lunch together, but in school they each had their own group of friends, and they were both fine with that.

He blinked, bringing everyone back into focus. Ah, yes, the others he hadn't mentioned. Frankie – Gordon – Leonard – Billy. Frankie had put on so much weight he could now consider becoming a sumo wrestler. He was a real 'heavy man', knew boxing, and wrestling, and didn't hesitate to use it on anyone. Gordon was even smaller, if that was possible. Just hid behind his laptop, blinking rapidly behind his over sized glasses. Leonard had quit the band. He was now into rap, pop and R 'n' B. Well, not proper rhythm and blues, but this stupid sucky stuff they call R 'n' B nowadays. He was never seen without a bandanna tied around his head, and his Nike tracksuit pants (tucked into his Burberry socks). When he quit he told them all he was 'going back to da ghetto, man' to 'hang with his crew'. Billy was still... Billy. They all knew he wasn't gay really, or they wouldn't tease him about it. He was sweet, and hung out with the girls, discussing clothes in his squeaky high pitched voice.

Not that this meant that the band had gone bad,_ au contraire_. No, the band had gone from strength to strength. Sure, everyone sucked in Freddy's opinion, but they didn't lack anything in the things that mattered: loyalty – honesty – trust. It was all there.

"Freddy?" repeated Katie. "Freddy, Freddy, come in Freddy!" He blinked again, and sat up groggily.

"What... What happened?"

"Zack said something about his dad and you passed out," Lawrence informed him quickly. "You muttered something, something about..." He thought.

"It was about a stranger," Marco told him, "and about a swing." Freddy started to stutter some kind of explanation, sending a frantic _help me_ look at Zack.

"It was probably just random gibberish," said Zack quickly. I'm sure you don't say normal things just before you pass out. Now, come on! Let's get rocking!"

Freddy smiled in remembrance at Dewey's famous line. Dewey was gone now, to the Great Beyond...

The Great Beyond retirement home, that was. They still used his place to rock out, as he'd legally given it to them. They still called it Dewey's though, because to them... well, it was. They had no idea what Dewey had retired _from_, but when they went to visit him he seemed happy enough. Sure, he muttered things under his breath about how he was going to kill them all, and how the Man was brainwashing him, and he usually told them about five new conspiracies he'd discovered, but he usually got distracted and told them to leave whenever a pretty young nurse walked past.

Freddy seated himself behind his drum kit, and picked up his sticks from where he'd left them on the windowsill.

"Yo! Zack!" he called. "I've got a new song!" Zack came over.

"Let's see." Freddy handed him the crumpled piece of notepaper.

**Not mine no more**

**You were the one there for me**

**Even though you baited me**

**The one who cared for me**

**Even though you hated me**

**I know you never doubted me**

**Even though you shout at me**

**Even though you were unkind**

**Deep down, you were still mine.**

**But now I know you're not mine no more**

**And who better to give this revelation**

**Than the woman of my creation**

**The very being of my very core**

**My mom.**

**You're not mine no more**

**And I can't hide from that**

**There's no escaping that**

**you're not mine no more.**

**I really thought you were a part of me**

**Even though you were away from me**

**I could tell you were apart from me**

**You just didn't like to say to me.**

**Now I've found that you're not mine no more**

**And you don't know**

**I can't believe you don't know.**

**You're not mine no more.**

**(P.S. Zack – I'll explain later, I swear!!!)**


	3. Not Mine No More

The two boys sat on the swings in the park, Zack swinging lazily, Freddy going fast enough to skim his heels over the ground.

"So," said Zack sceptically, "what's all this about," he checked the paper, "_Not Mine No More_?"

"Exactly what it says," Freddy said quietly, not feeling like he had to explain himself to Zack. "He's not mine no more."

"Who's not yours?"

"My dad."

"What, has he disowned you, or something? Let me guess – you're adopted. Freddy, we've already been through all this a thousand times, checked your birth certificate and everything. Your parents are your real ones, so think yourself lucky."

"No, they're not," said Freddy stubbornly.

"Look, dude, I know you think it'd be all cool and rockin' to be adopted, or whatever, but it's really not that important, so quit the acting, ok?" said Zack with a patronizing smile.

Freddy jumped off the swing, landing on his knees, and grazing them badly. He stood up, and the blood began to dribble out of the cuts. "I'm not acting! You don't know what I know! My dad is not my dad!"

"Freddy -"

"Shut up, Zack! Shut up!" yelled Freddy. Zack wasn't smiling anymore, he looked frightened. "It's ok for you! Sure, your dad _hit you_, and sure he banned you from the band, but at least he was your real dad! Your mom never lied to you for fifteen years! Nearly _sixteen_ years! Just think of that, Zack! The guy you've grown up with forever, the guy you've lived with all your life, the guy who put you to bed at night, who taught you how to ride your first bike, who took you to your first baseball game – he's nothing to do with you! NOTHING! NOTHING! NOTHING!" Freddy screamed the last word, then stopped at last, breathing heavily, his whole body racked with sobs.

Zack got off the swing, and walked over to Freddy. He just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. What _can_ you say when your best friend tells you something like that? What _is_ there to say?

* * *

"You want to trace your father?" asked the blonde woman behind the counter, filing her nails. They reminded Freddy of claws, they were so red, and shiny, and _pointy. _Zack nudged him impatiently.

"Y-Yes," said Freddy. "Yeah, I do."

"Mm-hmm," she said, going over to her computer. "So, first name of father?"

Freddy knew this one, he'd got as much information out of his mom as possible. She, of course, thought it was just because he was curious. She had no idea about all this, and just wanted him to forget it and move on.

"William," he said. "First name William."

"And last name?"

"Hutchinson."

"Right..." She tapped a few keys. "Age?"

"Um... About 47."

"47, did you say?"

"Yeah."

"Good, and any other information? Hair color, eye color, job...?"

"Well, he had blonde hair, and blue eyes, and I _think -_-" Freddy screwed up his face in an effort to remember, "I _think_ he was an accountant."

"I see. Is he currently married?"

"I-I don't know." Freddy gave Zack a panicked look: he hadn't thought of that. What if this William Hutchinson was married, and had kids, and didn't want to hear about Freddy?

"Any distinguishing features?"

"Yeah... He has a scar on the right of his neck, in a kinda triangular shape."

"Where abouts is he living now, do you know?"

"Well... Last time we heard of him, he was living in New York City, but he could've moved, I guess..."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's it."

"Ok then. Can I have your name, address and phone number. You _are_ sixteen, I assume?"

"Yup." The way Freddy saw it, if his mom had lied to him about his whole life then she wouldn't be that bothered if he lied about his age. He gave the woman the rest of the information (aww, did you think I'd let you find out his address and phone number?) and him and Zack left, after she promised to get in touch as soon as she found anything.

* * *

**Hey, Journal, it's me again. You know what? I just figured something else out. I'm not a Jones. I'm not Freddy Jones. I mean, my dad – Eddie Jones, the guy who's been living with us is, and my mom is because she married him, but I'm not. He's nothing to do with me. And I'm not a Hutchinson, either. Frederick David Hutchinson. Freddy Hutchinson. That's not my name. That's not me. I guess I could be a Freeman (my mom's maiden name), but I mean, come on. Freddy Freeman? No way. That would just be cruel. So I guess now I'm not anything. Freddy David Blank. That's how I feel, too. Blank.**

**I suppose I should feel angry, sad, excited even... but no. I don't feel anything. And I know my friends can tell. Even Zack's been avoiding me. Of course, he says he hasn't. He says I'm paranoid. Depressed and paranoid. Who knows? He could be right. But if you're depressed, don't you need to feel something? Like, overwhelming sadness, or something. I had this friend once, when she ate chocolate she got really hyper for about half an hour, and then really, really depressed. And when she was depressed, she said she felt lonely, and sad. But I don't. So I know I'm not depressed.**

**And I just thought of another thing, too. Gramps. Gramps and Nonna are no relation to me, either. That quiet old man, that smiling lady. Nothing. To do. With me. The only person I have is my mom, and I don't want her. So I guess it's true now – I have no-one. Not even Janey. Ah, yes. Another thing gone in my life. As if it's not enough that I have no father, and no friends, now I have no girlfriend either. If I was depressed, at least I'd have some good reasons.**

**I've got to go now, Mom says there's some girl on the phone for me. I'm still in my room, I have been ever since I found out. I haven't spoken to Mom since then. I haven't spoken to Mr Jones since then. That's what I'm calling him now, as Guy Who Just Lives With Me, and Guy Who's Not My Dad, and Guy Who's A Stranger are all too long to write.**

**Well, I really will see you later now.**

**Freddy David Blank.**


End file.
